The British government announced Thursday plans to lower the voting age for general elections from 18 to 16, making the UK one of the countries with the youngest voting ages worldwide. This change follows the Labour Party’s pledge ahead of last year’s election and is part of a broader package of electoral reforms aimed at modernizing the democratic process amid concerns over low voter turnout.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized the rationale behind the decision, “I think it’s really important that 16- and 17-year-olds have the vote, because they are old enough to go out to work, they are old enough to pay taxes, so (they) pay in. And I think if you pay in, you should have the opportunity to say what you want your money spent on, which way the government should go.”
The government will introduce legislation to parliament to formalize the change, and with its current majority, the bill is expected to pass. However, the move is likely to spark debate, with critics arguing it may benefit Labour, as younger voters are perceived to lean more center-left.
Currently, only a handful of countries, including Austria, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, and Cuba, allow 16-year-olds to vote in national elections. The UK’s decision aligns the general election voting age with existing regional elections in Scotland and Wales, where 16-year-olds already have the franchise.
Additional reforms include automated voter registration, already used in countries like Australia and Canada, and acceptance of UK-issued bank cards as valid identification at polling stations. These changes come after the previous Conservative government’s introduction of mandatory photo ID, which the Electoral Commission said may have prevented about 750,000 people from voting in the last election.
Harry Quilter-Pinner, executive director of the Institute for Public Policy Research, described the reforms as “the biggest reform to our electoral system since 1969,” when the voting age was first lowered to 18. He estimated that the combined changes could add 9.5 million voters to the rolls, addressing the current crisis of declining democratic engagement.
“Our democracy is in crisis, and we risk reaching a tipping point where politics loses its legitimacy,” Quilter-Pinner warned, supporting the government’s plans.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized the rationale behind the decision, “I think it’s really important that 16- and 17-year-olds have the vote, because they are old enough to go out to work, they are old enough to pay taxes, so (they) pay in. And I think if you pay in, you should have the opportunity to say what you want your money spent on, which way the government should go.”
The government will introduce legislation to parliament to formalize the change, and with its current majority, the bill is expected to pass. However, the move is likely to spark debate, with critics arguing it may benefit Labour, as younger voters are perceived to lean more center-left.
Currently, only a handful of countries, including Austria, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, and Cuba, allow 16-year-olds to vote in national elections. The UK’s decision aligns the general election voting age with existing regional elections in Scotland and Wales, where 16-year-olds already have the franchise.
Additional reforms include automated voter registration, already used in countries like Australia and Canada, and acceptance of UK-issued bank cards as valid identification at polling stations. These changes come after the previous Conservative government’s introduction of mandatory photo ID, which the Electoral Commission said may have prevented about 750,000 people from voting in the last election.
Harry Quilter-Pinner, executive director of the Institute for Public Policy Research, described the reforms as “the biggest reform to our electoral system since 1969,” when the voting age was first lowered to 18. He estimated that the combined changes could add 9.5 million voters to the rolls, addressing the current crisis of declining democratic engagement.
“Our democracy is in crisis, and we risk reaching a tipping point where politics loses its legitimacy,” Quilter-Pinner warned, supporting the government’s plans.
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